Nickell Robey-Coleman wants to stay with Rams after 'great start'

The Los Angeles Rams had a great deal of roster turnover this season, adding nine new starters to the team by way of free agency, trades and the draft. Those newcomers played a significant role in the Rams winning 11 games and making the playoffs.

The secondary, in particular, looked very different than it did in 2016. Kayvon Webster, John Johnson and Nickell Robey-Coleman all came in as new starters, while Lamarcus Joyner moved from cornerback to free safety.

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Unfortunately for the Rams, they could see two of those players depart in free agency: Robey-Coleman and Joyner. Robey-Coleman indicated recently that he’d like to stay in L.A., but there’s no guarantee he will.

“We did something that hasn’t been done before, so it was a great start,” he said, via the team’s official site. “But as far as from a future standpoint, you can tell that it’s going to be a great team that you would want to be on in the future.”

Robey-Coleman had a great first season with the Rams. He played 15 games, picked off two passes, forced a fumble and made a career-high 49 tackles. He wasn’t an every-down player for Los Angeles given his role as a nickel corner, but he was great at what he did, which was locking down slot receivers and making plays against the run.

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He has the ability to play outside in a pinch, too, which he did for a little while with Webster sidelined due to injury. His position flexibility and willingness to play wherever the coaches ask is one of his best assets.

“I’m just coachable, a coachable guy. The things that [Wade Phillips] does, they are the things that fit with my strengths,” he said. “So, I just continued to take one day at a time and make plays when my number was called. That was my role on this team, to come in, do my thing, and be the best player I could be.”

Robey-Coleman isn’t a guy who will break the bank on the open market, which should make it easier for the Rams to retain him this offseason. Keeping Robey-Coleman, especially in the event that Trumaine Johnson leaves, would be a good move.

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